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Playing With Fiya: The Hottest Raps In Video Games

Def Jam: Rapstar was released last week—and ever since, we've been stuck in the lab cooking up console heaters. Actually, we've been going to ghostwriters, getting feedback on old Jackin'4Beats forums, and watching the part of Eminem's 60 Minutes interview where he rhymes "orange" with "door hinge" and "Geor...ge." Still, it might just be easier to work up an appetite for Rapstar by traveling through the archives of gaming's greatest in-game raps. It's not just rappers sampling games—rapping in games goes way back, from Parappa the Rapper to Gears of War and plenty in between. Get up on your history, sonny; we'd join you, but we have to go keep it real in message boards and whatnot.

Parappa The Rapper (1997)Complex says: Kick! Punch! Duck! Pose! Man, Parappa The Rapper was the shit. How could you not get a win with rap x video games x cartoons x an adorable puppy in a beanie—sorry, we mean a GANGSTA-ASS PITBULL. *DMX growl*

Donkey Kong 64 (1999)Complex says: You may remember this song from Super Smash Bros. Melee, but everyone should know that it really derives from DK's first step into the 3-D world. While the game wasn't really much, anyone from the generation can rap most of it, and their parents can remember being unbelievably annoyed by it.

Sonic Adventure (1999)Complex says: Probably the best track on this list, it's actually catchy if completely corny (remember, we're talking about rapping in video games). This solidifies Knucles as the "urban" character of the game. A badass boxer whose name is Knuckles, hunts gold, and protects emeralds? Add a rap to that and you've got a Pen & Pixel album cover!

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004)Complex says: OG Loc is to video games what Yung Berg is to life: peripheral, and maybe a little lame. Still, we can't get enough of Loc's raps. There's a longer track that he spits on, but this one's straight off the top! Clap for 'im!

Call of Duty 4: Mondern Warfare (2007)Complex says: "It's deep and it's hard, bitch!" You might think it's corny, but the developers needed a good laugh after working hard to make an incredible game, and the in-game references are kinda on point. Wait, what? They were serious about this? ROFLMAOGTFOH!

Gears of War 2 (2008)Complex says: Cole Train is the best character of the game, and while we're not sure if this is a rap about the game or just a series of Cole's catchphrases strung together on a beat, we love it. Wait! Great idea: Cole Train ft. J. Cole! It will be epic. EPIC! AHAHAHAHA *siiiiigh*

NBA 2K11 (2010)Complex says: Man, this song is rough to listen to at first (but no worse than Game's "Champio—" *vomits*), but Snoop can make anything with a smooth chorus seem catchy. "Put the game on, what's the game mode, what's the new fizzeatures?/Where's my check? If you need me, I'll be smokin' in the bleachers!"